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A Taste of Adventure in Dubai

#Dubai and extravagance go hand in hand. But beyond its malls and world of abundance, a short trip out into the #desert is a fantastic way to escape the constant luxury. With activities like sand boarding and dune bashing, an #active day in the desert is just a short drive away.

Dubai does not shy away from showing off its extravagance. It has the biggest mall, the tallest building, the largest artificial island and the only seven-star hotel in the world.

Staying at Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers was exceptional. It was conveniently located, although I did not need much. I was taken around most landmarks by an acquaintance from my hometown. This was our second meet. He and his family had been living in Dubai for almost 30 years. He could easily pass off as a sheikh - he even came to see me off beyond security check at the airport. Perhaps this was the closest I could come to royal Emirati hospitality or maybe it was just our link to our hometown that made it special.

Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers

Desert Safari With Royal Dinner

Dune Bashing Tour in Dubai

Even though Dubai’s shopping malls are its major draw, I skipped them. I generally avoid shopping malls when I travel. I was more interested in what the desert offered.

Dubai does not shy away from showing off its extravagance.

Sandboarding in the dunes seemed like a cool idea until I tried it. I booked a session with Arabian Team Adventures. Thankfully, it being March, the heat in the desert was not a killer, despite this being a late morning session. My board kept digging in the sand often and I did not glide down as smoothly as I expected. I remember climbing my way back to the top of the slope more than sliding down. There was a thrill to it, for sure, but something was missing - perhaps this particular desert activity was not suited to me.

The next day, I headed to the desert again in the evening withCity One Tours for a safari. The desert seemed easy on the eyes in the dusk colours. Most desert safaris are like packages with camel rides, buffet dinners in a Bedouin camp setting, belly dancers and other entertainment, but the part that appealed to the tourist in me was the dune bashing.

Our driver stopped in the middle of the desert. He let out a bit of air from our 4x4 tyres. It was a usual practice for getting a better grip on the sand. He assured me and my fellow travelers that it would be a safe and fun ride - and then the dune bashing began.

from $54

Dune Bashing Tour in Dubai

Desert Safari With Royal Dinner

Desert Camel Ride

Our 4x4 twisted and turned, dived and rose, up and down the steep dunes. I felt like I was on a never ending roller coaster ride. Once atop a dune, I could not tell if we would speed down a slope or bump our way in any direction the next moment. Peeping outside did not help at all. The tyres manoeuvred through the constantly shifting and uneven sand. They whizzed and threw up tons of sand over the windows –our private tiny sandstorm. We screamed and then, just when we thought it was over we screamed some more. There were other vehicles ahead of us. We could exactly see the tricks our driver pulled off at a breakneck speed from a third person perspective. I felt that the 4x4 was going to do a somersault at any moment. But thankfully it didn’t.

I felt like I was on a never ending roller coaster ride.

In the heat of it all, the experience felt endless. But after the ride I was glad that my stomach was not full, nor was I prone to motion sickness. I was in awe of the drivers’ skills. Now in comparison, sandboarding felt dull.

After the dune bashing, our driver stopped on the top of one of the slopes. The weather had cooled down. The sun was kissing the horizon. The dunes reflected beautiful red hues. It was perfect. Other activities followed, but none matched this experience.